Darkness Becomes You
by Six-Helix
Summary: A murder suicide occurs that teeters on the personal side with Gibbs. A firefight ensues that leaves two agents missing, one lays enraged in a hopsital bed, and the other barely able to speak about the incident without going into shock. Can they save them
1. The Essence of Shadow

My eyes scan the darkness, but only morbid shapes come through them. The darkness is horrid, like someone took all the light in the world away and left on only the dimmers. My head hurts, as I move my hands to skim over the soft flesh of my face I feel warmth. But it is also wet and then I know I'm in trouble, only one thing is warm and wet and on your face...it was blood, alright maybe there was another thing that could be there but Tony would be the expert on that. My guess, I'm bleeding from some sort of head trauma. Which could explain the darkness of my sight and the shapes, or it could be the lights are off but I would have more vision than this. I hope at least.

Someone is eating in the background, their teeth are grinding against each other. Which implies that they are eating something soft and smooth, I guess by the smell some sort of noodle. Their fork is scrapping against the bottom, must be nearly finished either that or they were raised on a farm. I try to speak but only get a slight gurgle, they want me silent then I'll be silent for now at least. I know I'm in some kind of warehouse, the dank stench of rotting wood and mold is hitting me along with a slight draft. Tells me this is an old warehouse, still has some use though but more than likely vacant to all but the undergrounders.

The cold steel wrapped around my wrists implies that I was brought here by force, but then again so does the shape that I feel my body is in. My lungs are searing with each and every breath that I attempt to take, they are weak enough to prevent me from having full breaths so I figure that there must be some broken ribs. Possibly even a collapsed or collapsing lung, that would be just my luck me dying in a warehouse by drowning in my own blood.

I can't remember what or who brought me here, the last thing I know for sure is that there was a fire fight. Gibbs and I were pinned down in the front, and Tony was trapped with McGee towards the rear of the building. For the life of me I don't know why, what brought us there or what we were after. I just remember Gibbs popping up, his gun in hand, and then hearing him gasp as he was thrown back by a shotgun blast. Tony came hurtling towards us and that's it, that's all I remember but the shocked and pained blood stained face of Gibbs haunts me now. He is the one man I have always known that was strong at all times, but laying there with his body blown open by buckshot he was the weakest I had seen.

Liquid fire is pouring from my eyes, but I can't have that, my fingers raise involuntarily and I stab at the aqueaous bulbs behind the thin membrane of flesh dubbed eye lids by some fool scientist. Light is starting to pool from under what appears to be steel doors, footsteps pounding the ground. They are coming for me, coming to finish their job I just know it. Suddenly the door springs to life, it's screech of pain makes my head split. The very stab of it's agony rips at my body doubling it over so that my head falls between my knees. In the split second the light is forced into the room I can see how much worse my situation is than I thought. My arms and legs are bound to the ground with lightweight but thick chains, and placed strategically across the room is the one man I couldn't stand but at the same time wished to see no harm come to.

DiNozzo was there, suspended in the light from the far wall. He was bleeding, a large pool already concentrated beneath his body told me that he was slowly bleeding to death. He was of course gagged, not that the middle aged man could talk if he choosed to anyway. His breathing was unsteady, his body was laxed forth giving into the weakness it apparently held. My heart ached at that sight, but then the light vanished and so did Tony lost in the darkness that was this warehouse.

_**MEANWHILE**_

The halls of Norfolk's best hospital reverberated with the sound of many worried and angry men and women alike. Laying in room 256 in the Critical Care Unit was the very weak body of Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs. Sitting beside his bed was Dr. Donald 'Ducky' Mallard. The english born gentle men was holding tightly to the limp hand of his friend whom was currently fighting for his life through all odds.

Gibbs had been hit by a 22-gauge buckshot shotgun blast, most of the pellets had been caught by the vest, however the rest which numbered to be about 4-5 pellets hit numerous spots. One such spot was the artery in his left shoulder, another grazed his throat, yet another got his gun hand, the others hit nonvital and nonimportant spots.

Director Shepherd was steaming, she was pissed that her senior agent was practically dying and there was nothing she could do and even more pissed that two of her agents were missing. Both she knew were severly injured by the accounts of Junior Agent Timothy McGee, whom was currently residing in the Intensive Care Unit recovering from several knife wounds as well as pure shock from the occurances. More than anything else though, what angered her was the fact that all this happened for no apparent reason.

Gibbs had called her early that morning, way before daylight skimmed her window to tell her about a murder/suicide involving a Gunnery Sergeant, his wife, and seven year old daughter. He was choked up, the man was an old friend but more importantly she knew that it struck a few heartstrngs of the normally emotionless man. More than a few actually, but that was the last she heard from him or the others. They never reported for duty and until the phone call came about a firefight on top of the old Maoke Office Building she didn't know a thing. Now she wished that she could look forward to more than calling the families of her respected agents and alerting them that both were seriously injured and Missing In Action after a firefight without company consent to the case they were working which she knew naught about.


	2. Desperation

(Author's Note)

Sorry it took so long for this to be updated, and for the length of this post. I know, usually I do one or two pagers but I was inspired on this story. Something about it, perhaps that it came to me in a dream, or that I could definitely see it happening on the show or IRL has drawn me to it. Now, am I leading to a romance like I have in the past. You decide on that, will McGee come back? Hmm, won't tell. Will they find Ziva and Tony before too late? Well, I don't have a good track record with Tony surviving any of my stories, but I haven't decided yet. Will Gibbs be able to calm down and heal? It's Gibbs, think about it. Now, if there are any more questions please direct them in your comments. Thanks again to those who have posted reviews on this piece, it does mean a lot to me to read them, to simply know that people do like part of my hard work. Till next time, which will probably be pretty soon since I am on break.

**Chapter Two**

**Desperation**

His body was numb, the pain a simple memory to his semi-conscious mind, though the warmth of the liquid sliding down his throat in thick crimson lines brought him back if only for a moment. The cold steel of the blade pressing past the thin membrane of his flesh made him remember the severity of his situation. The brightness of his eyes were dulled by the lax beating of his heart, those mud colored pools were dulled so much that they appeared almost opaque in the dimly lit warehouse. Tony's eyes blinked away the glint that radiated off of the eighteen inch blade held by one of the most sinister beings he had ever met in his long law enforcement career. Atalo Baldasarre stood before him with a raised smirk, his fingers adding pressure by pressure to the knife at the NCIS agent's throat.

"So, you are the brave Agent DiNozzo that put away my second in command eh? What was it like, putting away the very man that would have you and your whole team destroyed because you and Agent Gibbs just had to nail the second best assassin in the nation?" Atalo pressed the tip of the knife just a bit deeper, giving a thin stream of blood a stronger current. The tip of Atalo's tongue ran across his lips with the desire to taste the crimson goodness he saw dripping down the olive colored flesh of his Italian cousin.

My eyes fell on the small group that surrounded Tony and I forced myself up, my bonds had been loosened and the fatigue of my injuries had faded with the strain induced sleep. My fingers tightened against the cold metal of the chains they had wrapped about my abdomen and I shook them with a violent growl. I was going to do anything in my power to distract Atalo's goons from my weak partner, even if it meant dying far before my time. I wasn't going to let them torture DiNozzo, he was my partner after all and he had helped me out of enough jams in my short career at NCIS.

Atalo's eyes narrowed upon the moving form of Agent David, "She is a troublesome little twit is she not boys? Perhaps she needs to be properly, _broken in?_" He smirked, his tongue clicking against his teeth as he moved the knife away from Tony's throat only to plunge it into his left thigh at full force making the man scream out in pain. His breath coming in short, ragged gasps as Atalo twisted and turned the blade in his thigh moving it up and down with his eyes remaining locked upon Ziva's.

I growled, my body thrusting forward against my bonds as Atalo drove the knife into Tony's leg. My heart ached seeing the pain streak through his body. His olive colored skin shifted to an almost pale white, his body glistening in the soft light with the thin sheen of sweat that had built up there. In my heart I knew that I had caused my partner's newest pain, but at the same time as the heavy beat of the gang's footsteps headed my way I knew that in the long run I would buy him more time in this world.

Even as two of the brutes strong armed me into standing, their nails digging into my flesh causing half moons to tear and began to bleed, I did not waver from my cause. I threw my body into the goon on the left, my head striking him in his rib cage. The man wavered and collapsed, but the one on my right pulled me back kneeing me in the ribs causing a loud gasp to echo from my body as a fist struck me straight in the chest. I fell back, my head slamming against the concrete floor and then silence. Darkness ebbed it's way into my eyes as I gazed at the blurred image of the light above me. I could hear laughing, I could feel them touching my body, could hear the distant groan of Tony as he protested what they were doing and then, then nothing my body let go of it's current condition and slipped back into it's unconscious state.

**Meanwhile at the Hospital**

Doctor Donald Mallard sat outside the door of Special Agent Gibbs' hospital room, his fingers running over the creased folds of a dog eared copy of the novel he read every time he was sent to a hospital to sit or to be taken care of. He could remember back to when he was a child in Cambridge, after falling from a porch swing he had a spiral break in his right forearm. He spent a few weeks in the hospital and during that time he read the same novel twice, the novel in question was The Awakening by Kate Chopin. It was about a woman who found herself awakening from the dream that was her life. She was neither a happy woman, nor a terribly sad woman but a woman that knew naught what she wanted out of life until an affair would bring her full circle to the desires that rested deep within her heart. It was this book that he read now, his glasses low on his nose as his eyes scanned each word before him.

"Ducky, don't you ever buy new books? I mean honestly, I've seen you read that at least thirty times since I've known Jethro."

"Oh my dear Director, worry naught, I buy new books but it is the classics that keep my interest when our dear friend finds his way back to this place." Ducky smiled and leaned back against the wall his fingers sliding the book closed as he gazed at Shepherd. "How is Timothy doing, better I do hope?"

"He seems to be coming out of the shock, he is still rambling on about an error, I think he is blaming himself but until he snaps out of it we will never know. Abby is with him now, a familiar face will probably help the young man."

"Always helped Jethro to have friends around, though I do hope he wakes up soon. I am worried about Anthony and Ms. David, they are two wonderful agents but even they have their limits."

"Don't remind me Ducky, the FBI has two teams on it, I can only spare one at the moment and the CIA is thinking of getting involved. Fornell is everywhere these days, he is taking Jethro's injury very personal. Then again, I think we are the only two that don't know why Jethro was so deeply involved in the case anyway."

"You are correct, if Jethro was passionate about this case, Fornell would indeed know about it before we would. They may not be drinking buddies, but Jethro would know he could depend on Tobais in a nutshell."

"I just wish he knew he could depend on me Ducky."

"M'lady, I am sure he knows he can to a point, but you have to remember we are talking about Jethro here, not DiNozzo or McGee. Jethro is a lone wolf, if he had it his way..."

"If he had it his way he'd be right where he is now. I know Ducky, but sometimes I just need to be frustrated at my blue eyed demon."

Doctor Mallard started to smirk at the last comment but the rush of a young nurse going into Jethro's room caused him to throw his book down and spring to his feet. He may have been older than most in NCIS, but it held no matter when it involved his friends. There was movement on the previously dead bed, work hardened hands flailed in the air striking at the various IV's attached to Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs' body. It was obvious he had his own personal agenda, those blue eyes fierce but at the same time weak.

Ducky frowned, his friend was panicked, even though Jethro would never admit it Ducky knew him better not to see the fear in this ice blue eyes of his. "Shh, Jethro, everything is going to be alright just calm down and I'll tell you what happened." For a moment Gibbs continued to fight the nurse and those wretched cords, but as he felt the hand of Ducky fall on his shoulder he let out a soft grunt and then let his muscles relax against the bed. "That's it Jethro, just relax and we'll talk."

Gibbs turned his eyes to Shepherd and then, recognition appeared, his fingers flew to his throat skimming the flesh there before roaming about his face. His fingers felt gauze and he grimaced, those blue eyes slid closed and the memories floated back to him in an urgent frenzy.

They were on a rooftop in the warehouse district, McGee was stationed by one of the air returns, DiNozzo was at Gibbs' flank, and Ziva was stationed above the door to the roof laying prone with her gun pointed downwards. And then, all hell broke loose. Men came out of no where, Tony leapt forward knocking Gibbs out of the way as the first shot gun blast rang forth the bird shot lodging deeply into the rusted metal of a rooftop pipe.

Tony rolled, his body forcing itself up as he fired away at the movement of Atalo's men. His Sig Saur ran out of bullets fast, his trigger finger not letting go even as he felt a bullet strike him in the right side, lodging between ribs. The young man fell, his knees collapsing upon each other with a loud groan. Tony's fingers slid over the wound applying pressure as his free hand reloaded his Sig.

Ziva had long since leapt off the top of the door, her trigger finger growing restless as she took down man after man until she felt a knife lodge in the back of her thigh. She screamed, her fingers wrapping around the hilt of the knife at her side as she spun ripping the knife from her thigh whilst thrusting her own knife into the offender's throat. He sputtered for a few minutes and then collapsed in a pool of his own blood. Ziva took a knee, her brows furrowed as she ripped off the bottom half of her shirt and quickly tightened it around her bleeder. She sprang forward sheathing her knife and taking the offender's as well as his primary weapon. With two pistols she headed forward, her body slow moving due to the leg injury, as men moved before her and behind her she would take pop shots taking out as many as she could currently.

When Tony rolled off of Gibbs, the older man sprang forward his body leaping over the roof top pipe. His knee slammed against the concrete as he grabbed McGee by the shoulders shaking him roughly, his fingers digging into his velcro straps of the kevlar vest the agent was wearing. "God damn it! Snap out of it McGee!" Gibbs raised his palm, striking McGee in the cheek and sending the young man into the metal pipe. A dull thud rang out as McGee whimpered and scurried beneath it, something he had seen had broken this young agent and done it at the speed of light. That's when the pain seared across Gibbs' body, the man was thrown into the pipe his blood spattering it as he slid down it to land upon the ground with a soft groan. The face before him, the face of the man who had killed him, the man who had trespassed against him so many times before started to blur and then darken, then it simply faded away.

Gibbs shivered, his muscles tightening as he curled into a ball then relaxed with a loud grunt. His eyes flickered for a moment before they fell to rest upon Ducky, "How are they?" His speech as slow and groggy, but that was understandable with the amount of drugs he was currently on and the amount of trauma he had sustained in the past couple of days.

"How are whom Jethro?"

"Damn it Ducky, you know whom. My team, how is my team?" With each word his tone roughened, it was also raising in degrees of rage. He hated to be treated like a child, expecially when they thought they were protecting him from something. "Tell me the truth Duck, how many have I lost?"

"So far, we don't think you have lost any lives Jethro. We were hoping you could tell us where we might be able to find Anthony and Ziva. They are still missing in action Jethro, whilst your junior agent McGee is in shock and will possibly be moved to the psych ward in the near future." Ducky knew honesty was not always the best policy, but in this case Ducky knew that if he didn't say the truth, it would be ripped from him with extreme prejudice.

"Two...two agents are MIA and you two are sitting on your ass not doing a thing about it!" Gibbs' fingers gripped the metal bar handles of his bed and he pulled himself up, his stitches giving way to the strain he was placing upon them as he threw himself forward and out of the bed. He fell, his body rolling onto it's side in pain as he grimaced, blood seeping into his hospital gown and making the thin material cling to his body.

Ducky growled, his arms wrapping around the man to pull him up slowly and get him back into the bed with the aid of the nurse and Shepherd. After a few moments of grimacing and soft growling Gibbs finally calmed down, with the aid of a sedative of course and restraints. Shepherd drug her hand over the sweat covered brow of her former partner and sighed softly, "Ducky, we have to find them, I don't think that Jethro will ever forgive himself if we don't find them."

"We'll find them Jen, we will. Why don't you go back to the office, I'll stay here with Jethro and Timothy just to make sure they will be alright. I'm sure they will keep Jethro sedated for a long while so he doesn't rip his fresh stitches again. As for Timothy, Abigail is his best hope for recovering some ounce of sanity."

**Meanwhile at the Warehouse**

My eyes blink open slowly, the hot metallic taste of my own blood lingers on my lips even now as I roll onto my side. They have removed my bonds, and left me laying there half naked upon the cold concrete ground of this damp dark warehouse. My shirt is torn, hanging on by only a thin line of what used to be a sleeve. With a soft groan I slowly made my way to my knees, the injured leg from before dragging painfully as I crawled across the floor towards my partner. He too had been released from his bonds, and had been ungracefully laid out upon the concrete floor in the dried pool that was his blood. His sides were rising and falling, even as his limp fingers slipped across the floor and his chest collapsed to the ground the fact that he had regular breathing satisfied my worry for the mean time. He had been horribly beaten, all on my account of course. My fingers fanned over his cheek gently and I slipped an arm under his ribs to raise him to lay in my lap.

His eyes rolled open, those faded brown orbs gazing at me weakly as he raised his hand to rest against mine. "Ziva, they didn't...?" His voice was weak but his intentions were noble enough, my fingers gently squeezed his cheek as I shook my head to tell him they had not, even though they really had. But Tony didn't need to know that, not now, not in this state. His head nuzzled into my abdomen, my eyes slid closed with the pain of his skull running along the area where I had been punched. But, the pain was worthy knowing my partner was alive and conscious for now.

Tony's eyes scanned her's, he saw the lie there, saw the pain of the truth but he'd say nothing for now at least. His fingers ran along her abdomen, feel the broken bones and the places where fists had indented her skin. He'd sigh gently and lean in to kiss the flesh there for a moment before gazing back up at Ziva. "You know, you didn't have to distract them for me. You were hurt far too much already, and I don't have much left in me. At least one of us should make it out of her Ziva."

My finger pressed against his lips and I leaned forward, my lips next to his ear lobe as I released a soft purr towards him. And then I took the lobe into my mouth, biting down hard until I tasted the sweet metallic blood that my partner held. "If Gibbs were to hear you say that I do believe he would have your balls on a platter."

"Ziva, you are confusing..."

"Oh shut up, I'm Israeli I can say it however I please." I'd smirk and stroke his ear once more, to say I wasn't worried about my partner would be like saying I had never loved in my life. Which was in fact a lie, I leaned back against the wall behind us, my fingers skimming his flesh to keep him awake and to help calm us both. Neither of us have much more strength left in us, the one thing we do have though, is resolve. Even if we die here we will find away for the team to find us. Besides, both of us have family after all.


	3. Vulnerability

**Chapter Three**

**Vulnerability**

DiNozzo's eyes were closed as his head lay limp in Ziva's lap, he could feel her fingers running about the smooth curves of his cheeks and it caused him to show that fly boy smile he was so known for. "If I didn't know better Officer David, I'd think you actually cared." He could feel her fingers tense over his cheeks, and the thought that she might slap him flashed through his mind but when the gentle caresses continued he relaxed his tired body. He'd like to think he was invincible, that nothing ever got to him but to say that would be just him kidding himself into thinking he was brave. Actually, he was a weak man. He knew it, and those few who pushed past the mask knew it. He was the kid who grew up rich, knew what money was, but had never experienced love in his life. His own parents hated his existence, and that crushed him, made him emotionally '_unavailable.' _Or at least that's what the psychologist said when he had to go a few years back after he was forced to kill his own partner in Baltimore.

He sighed gently and placed a hand on Ziva's thigh so he could shift his position a bit, soon though he found that to be the biggest mistake of his life. Pain shot through his body and he couldn't help but let out a strangled cry. The sound and the paleness of his flesh made Ziva react with incredible speed, her fingers running along his sides as she made soothing sounds. The only thing for him to do to relieve the pain, and he knew this, was to relax and let it pass. Ride it out like a good little boy and see what happens. He'd told himself the entire time they '_interrogated' _him and his Israeli partner.

My fingers smoothed over the torn and tattered flesh that were the remains of my partner's once firm and toned body, with a soft coo like noise I leaned closer to his face. In my heart I could feel the vulnerability of Tony, even from the moment we met I knew he was fragile in so many ways. But now, sitting here trapped in this warehouse with his blood upon my hands, now I could feel that gut tingle Gibbs was fond of mentioning whenever he had a notion. But this was a notion that I didn't want to have, it was a notion that burned in my heart and made me want to bury my head in the sand. Though, I forced a scowl at him and replied to his banter. "About Tony? How could anyone care? Honestly, take your finger out of your..."

"I believe you mean foot Officer David," neither had noticed that the door to the room they were in had slid open and so that standing before them now was Mr. Baldasarre himself. "Oh, do continue your little chat Agents David and DiNozzo. I doubt your new company would mind terribly, in fact he might just enjoy hearing something he can not see." That horrid smile of accomplishment was plastered upon Atalo's features as he signaled for one of his men to throw a heavily bleeding man into the room. The man hit the ground and then bounced for a few feet before rolling until he stopped just inches from the two agents. "You should know this man, he works for your FBI friend, Tobias Fornell. Tried to play the undercover assassin in my unit, fouled up though when he mention you both by names I had not released. Enjoy agents."

With that Atalo and his man walked back out of the room and shut the door behind them. I looked down at Tony and sighed gently. "I'm going to have to lay you on the ground Tony, don't protest to much will you? I've heard enough of your groaning to last me a lifetime."

"Oh really Officer David? You like my groaning, eh Ziva?" He put special accentuation upon her name, like he always did to piss her off. But the tone, was not the normal playful one that he had, there was fear in his tone and behind that fear there was weakness. She could smell the fear radiating off of him as she lowered him to the ground, his body tensing and then curling into the fetal position as his muscles screamed to be let alone.

I crawled over Tony slowly, my injured and numb leg dragging slightly as I moved to the agent before us that I recognized but had no name to match with a face. His face was turned away from us, but by the words that Atalo had spit out like venom, I already figured they had gauged his eyes. Though, turning him and seeing the damage they had done I couldn't help but sigh softly. It wasn't the first time I had seen damage like this, there were many terrorists that preferred this type of cruelty. But this was far more severe than I had expected for a relative of the DiNozzo clan.

It appeared that they had used a serrated knife to scrape away the flesh about the eye socket, nothing too out of the ordinary she'd seen that done many times. Cause them as much pain as possible before causing more, good interrogation technique, not that she ever used it of course. It appeared that they then heated some sort of metal rod, thrust it into the socket and twirled it around based on the burned flesh there and then the untouched. It also looked like they wanted him to bleed to death from this wound, so they went back and cut flesh from inside the sockets. They truly were demented men, but this was just an example to Tony and I. I gripped the man by the shoulders and drug him to the wall where Tony and I had been laying. After propping him up I returned to Tony, pulling him back into my lap to support his head once more

**Meanwhile Back at the Hospital**

Ducky had sat for hours with Jethro, and had to finally leave him when the nurse came in to change the dressings. Before then, a nurse had come in to take back the drug dose they were giving him, he was set to wake up in a few hours. But Ducky knew he'd be awake much sooner than that, he was so stubborn after all that they had to give him enough sedatives to make a normal man overdose on them. With a soft smile he pushed open the door to young Timothy's room and walked in. "Hello Abigail, how is the patient?"

"Doing better Duck, he is talking a bit more. At the moment he is resting, he finally let go of the gun though. That's a start."

"My, my Abigail, I believe you took up the wrong profession. I believe you should be a nurse with this amazing achievement." He smiled warmly, a smile that Abby was happy to see as she stood and pounced on the older man. Ducky was like the wise old wizard when it came to the team, everyone loved him and needed him at some point. But he always found away to be there in some shape and form, to Abby it was this that reassured her.

"Ah, come now Ducky, you know you'd miss me if I ever left." She winked and rested her chin on his shoulder. "How's Gibbs?"

"He is Jethro, Abby, and yes I would very much miss my dark haired Pippy Longstocking." He smirked gently and simply held onto her, he knew she needed to be reassured about Anthony and Ziva but he had no reassurance to provide her at the moment. "Has young Timothy said anything about the case? Anything that the Director could use?"

"Only a name, I was going to head to the lab and run it. He said they were attacked by a man named Atalo Baldasarre. Know him Ducky?"

"Know him? You better believe it. I figured this would be personal, the way Jethro acted earlier. But not that personal."

"Ducky?" Her eyes scanned his and he placed a hand on her cheek.

"Don't worry my little angel of darkness, all is well. This is good news, for Shepherd and I know how to deal with Mr. Baldasarre. But pull those files either way, she might have your pigtails if you don't." He smiled and let her go, his body turning so he could head out the door.

"Ducky..."

"Yes Abigail?"

"Just tell me one thing, tell me that my Tony will be alright."

"Your Tony, Abigail? I can't tell you something that I don't know. But my heart tells me that he will be fine, as well as Officer David."

"Ducky, honestly." She gave him the scowl she mimed from Gibbs, and Ducky couldn't help but smile about it. After that Ducky left the room, heading back to Jethro's with his short and squat gait. He could waddle much faster, he admitted, but he didn't wish to. He was in a way dreading what he would be speaking to his old friend about. Dreading it so much that when he came to Jethro's door, he simply stood for a few moments gazing at it as thoughts filled his head making the normal serene brain work frantically.

With a soft sigh of disapproval at the thought that some people always finish last, he pushed the door open and gazed through his glasses at his now coherent friend. "Now, Jethro tell me what Atalo has done this time." There was a growl from the bed, before Gibbs tossed his head the other way.

"McGee finally spoke I take it."

"Just the name Jethro, but for me and you that is enough. Do tell me this latest exploit, so we can find our men."

Gibbs grunted his fingers gripping the bed sheets as he pushed himself up into a sitting position. "Ducky, there is a lot to tell."

"Well then, it will be like listening to one of my own stories will it not?"

"Oh Duck." Gibbs couldn't help but smile, but then it faded, those blue eyes darkening to almost a predatory glow. Ducky saw this darkness in his friend and his brow contorted sharply, he had seen that look only once before and there was nothing that made him want to see that look again. Not after...well just not after.

"Jethro, we will find them."

"We better find them."

"We will, if you just tell us what happened."

"Fine, fine. It started about a week ago..."


	4. Past Revisited

**Chapter Four**

**Past Revisited**

A week ago seemed like an eternity ago as Gibbs leveled his gaze upon Ducky, his fingers gripped the white linen sheets he was currently laying upon. His grip tightened so much that his knuckles paled to look shock white, his cold blue eyes still held that predatory look, but they were losing their fight at the moment. Memories flashed through his mind, memories from a week ago, and those from a time before NCIS.

"We had just wrapped up the last few loose ends on the Drew case, you remember that one right Duck?"

"Ah, the young marine couple killed with their daughter. That was committed by a jealous lover correct?"

"Very good, so we had that case closed and it was about closing time for the office. A messenger came, dropped off a package on my desk. I opened it of course, inside the small box was a lock of Madison's hair and a letter addressed to L.J.G. Ducky, remember when I told you if everyone knew my past I wouldn't be allowed to hold a gun for any kind of reason?"

"I do Jethro, but what does that have to do with this?"

"Atalo Baldasarre, he is the reason I wouldn't be able to. I was away, probably when Madison was about five or six. Mission to a unknown destination, even us snipers didn't know where we were going until our feet touched the soft grass of the Mediterranean. We had landed on Corsica, and were supposed to assassinate the son of a local mob boss. The Baldasarre family was the biggest family in crime in the world at the time, and the up and coming second in command Atalo was deadlier than his old man. Our intel placed him on Corsica at 0600, and that's when we took our positions. He was landing, returning from a job we guessed, and as he started into the mansion we noticed something. There was a young American family gagged and bound behind him, his guards were bringing them in.

At that point we had to make an executive decision, there was a family in immediate danger and our hit right there. So, like good little marines we stormed the group. In the first wave we lost one, he took a shot to the throat and was dead before he even hit the ground. We were able to get the family, but in the confusion, I lost the hit. I had been stationed in a tree, the only one to stay back to make sure the hit was taken down. And I failed, first and last time I ever did Ducky, until now.

The family was Italian in origin, at the time the name meant very little but since DiNozzo started working for us, the DiNozzi name meant a lot."

"DiNozzi?"

"Yes, DiNozzi, they were big money in the northeast. Daddy DiNozzi, owned a few major banks throughout the nation. And the wife was a high official in a major company, they had two kids both sons. The eldest was only two at the time, his name was Anthony and the other was about six months old. We found out that only the wife and little Anthony were citizens of the United States, but there were in Corsica on business. You see the daddy was the banker for the Baldasarre family, since they were cousins and all. After the mission we got the family back to the states, the dropped the I and took on another O. No big change but it was enough to make them fall off the radar for a few years.

Once the family was secure we moved in on the mansion, I left my post and followed them in to possibly get an outlook position on the roof incase Daddy Baldasarre and his guards came home. Anyway, the house was cleared and I went to the roof to cover the guys exit. And guess who finds me?"

"Hmm, Mr. Baldasarre himself?"

"Precisely, I didn't even notice him when I moved into position. I suppose I was concentrating on protecting the boys, but the moment I felt cold steel against the back of my head I knew who was behind me. My first instinct was to pull my gun back into his ribs, but I had a wife and daughter to go home to so I hesitated long enough for him to take my rifle. He pinned my hands back, right next to my grenades and knife that I kept in the back of my flak jacket. So, patiently I waited until he turned to toss the gun off the building. In an instant I had my fingers wrapped around my knife and I took the best slash I could. Took a nasty cut of his cheek before kicking him back and throwing a grenade. I took my only chance at escape and leapt off the building. Shattered my left knee, career ender right there Ducky.

They took me home, and before I had even touched the soil gave me my orders to hit the road. Disobeying direct orders, failure to accomplish my mission, and lack of leadership under fire were just a few of their reasons. So, when I touched down I took my bag slung it on my shoulder and used my crutch to get me home. Walked, needed to release steam before I saw the Misses you know?

I knew something wasn't right, even before I saw the door standing open. But I couldn't help it, I was naive at the time and so pissed that I just didn't want to care. Horrible I know, but I was different then I was weaker..."

"Jethro you've never been weak, you were just young."

"That's nice of you Duck, but let me finish will you?"

"Go right ahead Jethro, I won't interrupt again."

"Sure Ducky, sure. Anyway like I was saying, I got to the door and noticed it was ajar. I figured maybe my wife had gotten word that I was coming home injured and just left the door open for me. That shot down the drain when I pushed it open, the house was torn apart. Broken glass and turned over furniture, I went for my gun but they had already taken it so I was practically useless at that point. I remember being able to drop my bag before a gun was rammed into my side sending pain shooting up my back like a thousand needles to the spine. I hit the ground, my bad knee hitting first causing me to scream out against them before they slammed the gun against my neck to make me topple. Between then and them taking me to the back room I don't remember much at all, but when I came to they had my family lined up on the opposite wall. It was in execution style Duck, and when I saw it I froze. I swear my heart literally stopped beating at that very moment, I fought against the two holding me but the pain in my leg caused me to scream out once more. That's when Atalo walked towards me, with that smirk on his face and my rifle in his hand. I recognized the rifle right away, it had my name engraved on it and it had been costumed to my specs.

The bastard walked over and pulled up my gun arm, he forced me to grab the thing. To pull the trigger twice while he aimed it for me..."

"Jethro...do you mean to say that you..."

"Yes Ducky, that's exactly what I mean to say."


	5. Delivery

1**Chapter Five**

**Delivery**

Tony's breathing was ragged, he was laying halfway on top of the now resting Ziva, but he hadn't been able to close his own eyes. With a pained groan he pushed himself up, there was pain shooting through his left arm and he distinctly remembered a riot stick falling against it with a loud cracking noise quickly following. He slowly drug his right hand over the shoulder and then gasped as they came in contact with a protruding bone. Brilliant, he thought as he felt around the shoulder more. There was no place that didn't feel pain for him, bruises were beginning to form everywhere but at least his bleeding had stopped. "Ziva, wake up." He spoke barely over a whisper as he propped himself against the wall.

"Huh? Tony what's wrong?" She spoke softly, concerned as she saw the paleness of his face. She could feel the pain rolling off of him, and those brown eyes almost appeared shattered in the dim light.

"Nothing, I just..."

"Wanted company?"

"You could say that, and Fornell's man isn't much help. We lost in sometime in the night I suppose."

"Tony, he was gone before they threw him in here." Ziva spoke sullenly and moved to prop herself against the wall as well. She could hear the distant beat of footsteps against concrete and spoke softly once more, "Looks like we aren't the only one's awake Tony."

The door to the room slid open, metal raking against metal with a cruel scream as one of the men walked in with a small pouch in his hand. "Atalo gives you food, water. I be back for later." The man had a thick Italian accent, he didn't know much English that was for sure, and DiNozzo stared him down the entire time. When the man exited, after depositing the pouch at his feet, Tony turned to gaze at Ziva.

"He'll take one of us when he comes back, guarantee the food is drugged to make us talk to them."

"Tony..."

"I know Ziva, I'm starting to sound like I've been here before aren't I?"

"No, you are starting to think like me. And that is very frightening."

"You got that right." He flashed that fly boy smile and closed his eyes for a moment, "We have to make them think we ate the food though."

"Why do you think I sat where I did?"

"What do you mean Ziva?"

"I'm sitting in front of Fornell's man, they don't know he's dead yet."

"You wouldn't do that would you Ziva?"

"To survive, yes." And she did, she took everything that was in the contents of the pouch and poured the liquid mess down the dead man's throat. The liquid stayed in his mouth until she stroked his throat, slowly it drained down sliding down to his stomach. She sighed gently, she felt for the man and Ducky when he would get a hold of him at least. She then took the solid food and thought about what she was going to do with it for a moment and then...there was a glow in her eyes not that much unlike Gibbs when he had a thought that verged on being sinister.

"I know that look, it's copyrighted though. Belongs to a Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, and you most definitely have a few assets that Gibbs doesn't have Zee-va." He smirked gently, but there was a look of weariness in his eyes as he watched her. She took the food, a few cups of cold oatmeal and spread it out on the floor. She took her finger through the mush there and then pulled it up to her nose. Carefully she sniffed it before looking over at Tony, her fingers gripping more of the oatmeal before she walked over to the dead man. She'd smear the oatmeal over his shirt, cheeks, mouth, and chin before she'd let her body fall back against the wall with a slight grunt.

"And he doesn't own that look Tony, especially sense we don't know if he..."

"Ziva, he's alive. It's Gibbs we are talking about, Gibbs will be the only man left alive on this earth if the Apocalypse ever does happen. He'll be the one throwing that evil glare skywards and complaining that he doesn't have any more coffee to drink." Tony flashed a grin, envisioning it which made him chuckle. The chuckle however turned into a horrible cough and he doubled over in pain. His good arm gripped his stomach and he spit blood from his mouth before relaxing back against the wall again. "Remind me, not to do that again."

"Don't do that again." She spoke sarcastically, with that evil little smirk of her's before she walked over and wiped the remainder of his blood from his lips. "They did a number on you didn't they?"

"Yeah, but hey, I'm a tough guy remember?" He flashed that 10,000 watt smile he was so known for only to be met with a scowl that could rival Gibbs'. "Well, if that is really how you feel about it then...yes they did a number on me but I'll live."

"Tony, who ever they take they aren't going to be..."

"Easy, I know that Ziva. I've been captured before believe it or not Officer David, and they never go easy. I have the scars and the memories to back me up on that. But whoever they choose to take, we have to have our game faces on. I'd say standard military answers. Name, rank, id number. It'll make them hit harder, make them want to kill us more but it's our only strong way of knowing what it is they really want."

"Precisely what I was thinking Tony. But, in the condition you are in do you think you can handle it? Can you muster the strength to..."

"Ziva, have I ever not been able to perform my job obligations when under duress?" He looked her square in the eye, his eyes not losing any of their intensity as he attempted to stare her down. An attempt to prove that he could stand that kind of pain at all costs.

"Alright...I believe you now act like you are unconscious alright?" She smirked and stroked his cheek for a moment before ruffling up his hair in a playful way. Tony smirked and batted her hand away before leaning back against the wall behind him. He slumped down, his arms dangling with weakness before his head lolled forward against his chest. To Ziva the scene he put on sent shivers down her spine, in a way she thought he was not faking it but it was real. Especially when she could see the strained lines of pain that rested below his eyes, she sighed gently and rested her head against the dampened wall.

In her life she had seen much torture, experienced it herself several times and of course used some of the more delicate methods when the time called for it. Her dark eyes blinked closed, her body screaming for well deserved rest that she just couldn't give it. She grunted gently, her arm crossing her body as if protecting it from something. She could hear them again, walking down the hallway to the room she and Tony currently occupied.

Atalo stood in the door way, his eyes scanning the two he knew were alive and he lifted his finger pointing at his cousin with a smirk. "Take to the water room." He spoke in his thick Italian voice, the first time he had held broken English during this entire ordeal. Ziva figured it was to blend in with the others, but Tony knew the truth he was making sure Tony knew that Atalo was taking him and no others.

Two men loamed forward and wrapped their arms around Tony, they threw him onto his feet. One threw a kick to his lower back making the young man scream out in pain, his eyes closing so tight it looked like he didn't even have eyes sockets. Ziva opened her eyes and attempted to move to try and help Tony but received a kick to her chest causing her to gasp violently for breath. Tony forced his eyes to open so he could gaze at her, there was much pain there and a great weakness especially since they kept pulling on his broken arm. Lines of pain crossed his pale face, showing that he was fighting as hard as he could to not scream out again. His eyes said it all though, Ziva needed to back down and protect herself for later. And so, after all the protesting stopped they promptly removed Tony and tossed him into the water room.


	6. Questioning

**Chapter Six**

**Questioning**

Tony's body hit the ground with a loud groan, he rolled across the wet floor until his injured shoulder slammed into the opposing wall. He couldn't hold back a scream as pain shot back up his arm, he gripped it tightly with his good arm and rolled on the ground in agony until he was seized by both shoulders. His arms were placed above his head and he grimaced, pulling his facial muscles tightly together as he tried to control the pain. Steel was placed around his wrists and he felt the strain of his weight on both arms caused his head to loll forward against his chest. His breaths were pained and forced each of them racking his body and making it swing forward with the pain that laced throughout his body.

A smirk forced the lips of Atalo up as he walked towards his cousin, his right hand would gently slide against Tony's cheek almost in an affectionate way before he'd pull the hand back and slam it against Tony's face. Tony gritted his teeth to hold back the burning sensation riding up his cheek before Atalo started the gently rubbing again. "So, cousin, how about it? Tell us about your family's dealings in Monaco." Tony closed his eyes as he forced himself to concentrate on raising his head, slowly he turned it to face Atalo his eyes glaring at him daring him to touch him once more.

"Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo. Field agent for NCIS. ID number 09234." Tony spoke, his tone was strong and forceful as he stared down his current enemy. That was, until Atalo's boot made contact with his chest. The force of the kick forced the air out of Tony's body and sent him swinging back, when his body came forward towards Atalo Tony felt fingers grip his injured shoulder. Atalo quickly squeezed the flesh and bone there, twisting it as he did so. His lips pressed against Tony's ear and he spoke in a soft husky tone.

"Oh, my dear cousin, how long do you think you will survive if I torture you like I did your little partner in the other room? How long do you think your body can handle my..." And he took a finger and inserted it into the bullet wound Tony had from earlier, this elicited a strangled cry of pain as Tony flailed about trying to get away from Atalo. "...my suggestive touch?" With a smirk Atalo beckoned one of his men inside the room.

The big burly man was pushing a metal cart on top of which was a small generator, two metal rods with sponges at the end, and a little black bag that looked much like the one Ziva kept in her desk. Tony closed his eyes at the equipment, his mind flashing back to a movie of course. It was the first Lethal Weapon, Mel Gibson had been captured by the men they were pursuing and was taken to a water room. Much like the one Tony was in now, they had a small generator and two rods with sponges that they used to electrocute him to try and get information from him. Tony's eyes closed a bit tighter, he knew what they were going to do and he'd rather them not. But he readied himself and gritted his teeth.

"Do you know what we are going to do to you my cousin? Do you know the pain you will feel as we bake you from the inside out?" Atalo smirked and picked up a bucket of water that was on the ground. Before splashing it upon Tony, Atalo ripped the rest of Tony's shirt off and discarded the material on the damp ground. When the water hit Tony's sensitive skin he shivered gently, it was cold but the mere fact that it was water made it worse. Everything went quiet as Atalo gripped the rods and nodded his head at the other man so he would turn on the generator. Tony braced his body as much as possible before he felt the heated sponges touch his skin.

A loud throaty scream swung out of Tony's throat as his body began to tremble, the pain of the electricity that was coursing through his body made foam gather at the corners of his mouth. He could feel the strength of the shock pulling his eyes to the back of his head and he was trying his hardest not to bite off his tongue as his teeth chattered against each other. And then there was relief, Atalo had removed the sponges from his body and Tony just swung there gasping for breath. His eyes falling back where they belonged in his eye sockets, he could still feel the charge going through him even though they were long gone.

"Let's try this again Anthony...what is your family's business in Monaco?"

"Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo. Field agent for NCIS. ID number 09234." Tony mumbled, his voice cracked from the pain his body was now screaming with. He slowly rolled his head to the side and looked at Atalo with half lidded eyes, "Name, rank, and serial number. That is all you will get out of me Atalo."

"Then you will die, and I will have my way with your partner in there because you could not muster the courage to admit your sins young Anthony."

"My partner in there...she'll kill you in more ways then you deserve if you even think of touching her." His eyes forced themselves to open fully as he glared back at Atalo.

"Have it your way Anthony, oh and you should know something before you die. Your boss, Gibbs I believe you call him, I had a visitor drop by his hospital bed. Let's just say your boss proved very weak when a small amount of oxygen was placed in his bloodstream. His heart was too weak to stand just a little bubble, and he died all because of you Anthony. Because your family had to put their nose into my business. And that youthful one...Special Agent Timothy McGee, yes? He found himself into the morgue also, a shotgun blast to the throat will do that to a man. I do believe it will be closed casket for that one, my friend there said his brain splattered around the room. Pink mist he referred to it as. But I wonder? Would you like me and him to pay visits to a young Miss Abigail Scuito and a Doctor Donald Mallard?" Atalo grinned and stroked Tony's cheek.

"You lie Atalo, you were always a manipulator." Tony growled back, a new sense of anger in his pained eyes.

"Oh do I?" Atalo smiled and turned around to walk out of the room leaving Tony dangling there for now, so that the man could be alone with his cruel thoughts.

Tony's mind raced with Atalo's latest words, in his heart he knew it was a lie but at the current state his body was in he couldn't control the thoughts that were going through his head. He could see Gibbs laying in a hospital bed as one of the goons, probably the one he was in the room with now stood at his bosses bedside. A hand was squeezing the intravenous bag that was attached to the wounded agents arm, whilst his other hand pressed the tip of a needle into the line. There was only on CC of air in it. Tony could see the man pushing the pump down on the needle and forcing the air into the IV. For a few moments Gibbs was fine, breathing as he normally did though all the while he was asleep. Until the air traveled through his bloodstream and into his heart. Tony envisioned those blue eyes throwing themselves open, his hands going to his chest as the air stopped his heart. Gibbs would be gasping out his last breaths, his eyes leveling upon the one who did this to him before he left the world.

Tony grimaced but gazed at the door, that was a lie he knew it because Gibbs would never give up on life that easily when he was missing agents. With gritted teeth, Tony laid his eyes upon that man that remained in the room. "So, you are the one that killed Gibbs eh?" Each word dripped from Tony's mouth like acid.

"I kill boss, yes." The man's broken English represented itself and Tony smirked, this would be easy.

Tony spoke thickly, an italian voice that he rarely used around work. He'd use it on select women to tease them, but most of the time he only spoke in Italian when around his family. His voice was strong and confident, each word hanging just a bit longer than the previous one for emphasis. "Dunque che ha somigliato a, il mio capo?" His intention was to see exactly what this man knew about Gibbs, to make sure it was a lie.

"Era debole giusto come lei, non potrebbe maneggiare il dolore. Ha rinunciato sotto la mia mano, fissando vuotamente come era stato tradito." The man spoke with a smirk. And that's when Tony knew, the man spoke about Gibbs being weak. And instead of saying that they had killed him with air, he spoke of choking Gibbs which he knew Gibbs would never let him do. That was enough, Tony would make sure he lived through this if it was the only thing he could do.

(( Translations to Tony and the Goon's Italian:

"So what did he look like, my boss?"

"He was weak just like you, couldn't handle the pain. He gave up under my hand, staring blankly like he had been betrayed."))

Author's Note

Spring break is over for me today, so I will try to keep up on my updating as quickly as possible. But with school it may take a while.


	7. Superior Beings

**Chapter Seven**

**Superior Beings**

There was a small task force was stationed around Gibbs' hospital bed, beside him stood Fornel his fingers skimming over the latest file that had come in on Atalo. Gibbs stared straightforward the information literally in his lap had sent him into one of those Gibbs meditative states as he concentrated on what the reality of the information meant. What he had just read showed that the DiNozzi business was up and running again, except instead of aiding the Baldasarre family they were impeding it by stealing from it. With a growl Gibbs refocused his attention at Fornell, "If this is correct Tobias, this hit didn't occur because of me it occurred because of a blood feud."

"Jethro, I wish I could tell you that my intel was incorrect, but that is straight from the horses mouth. Dominic Baldasarre was very cooperative after your Director there interrogated him." Tobias smirked at Gibbs before leaning back against the wall and placing his folder down. "We do have several leads on where your agents are Jethro, but none of them are substantial enough for us to get anywhere with. And forensics is practically useless if we don't have a..."

"Body, Tobias? I know you need some evidence before you can locate my men but the best I can give you is what I already have. If this is a blood feud, I can guarantee that the rest of Tony's family is in peril."

"Yes, but the DiNozzo's have slid below our radar. Even NSA can't find a trace of anyone but young Anthony. And he is the missing one."

"I have a source Jethro that may be of use to you and Tobias here."Ducky spoke up after he made his presence known by a short cough.

"Let's hear it then Ducky." Gibbs spoke slowly, putting emphasis upon each word as he moved into a sitting position upon the bed. He was due to be released soon, pending a psychological evaluation that he thought was for the birds. But the director was adamant about it so he would do it, of course with some bitching along the way.

"Well you see Jethro, in my early years I was quite the lovebird you could say. I remember my freshmen year at Cambridge, there was this magnificent beauty named Sereinia..."

"Duck, the point."

"Ah well, you see I courted this little lass named Telyn Hamish. A welsh lass that ended up becoming..."

"The second in command of NSA's tactical units. Doctor Mallard, now why did we not know this about your past?"Tobias asked with a slight smirk as he crossed his arms before him.

"Ah, Tobias not all things can be found in a file. For instance passion, and a summer fling are off limits to the likes of you." Ducky smiled and waggled a finger at the FBI agent before looking back at Gibbs. "I will call her, see what she can turn up. Generally she is very resourceful." He gave a soft wink at the last word before exiting to room to make his call.

Gibbs just shook his head, "That Ducky, always has some sort of trick up his sleeve."

"And I thought you were the silver-haired fox Jethro." Tobias stated with a brazen sense of sarcasm before planting himself upon Jethro's bed. "Jethro, I know you don't want to talk about this but there is a very real chance that we might have already lost DiNozzo and David." As he said Tony's name he used the correct pronunciation making it sound like DiNotso, an affectionate term he used when referring to the younger agent.

"I know Tobias, but regardless I can't leave them alone out there. They are my men we are talking about, semper fidelis means more than a motto Tobias. It's how I live, since Madison and her mother..."

"I know Jethro...believe me I know." Tobias spoke gravely, he too had an agent's life on the line and the fact that his man had not yet sent a transmission about the situation they were in worried him greatly. The man's name was Jonathon Kaidaramos, Italian of course, but he had a family to go home to a wife and three young children. In Tobias' heart he felt for the worst, but before they lost transmission the news had been good. Both David and DiNozzo were still alive, but that was days ago.

Tony's body was still suspended in air, his breathing short and shallow as he focused merely on remaining alive. It had been a day since they had taken him away from Ziva, well not a day really more along the lines of 26 hours; 29 Minutes; and 2 Seconds. Yes he had kept count that exact, even when after refusing to answer Atalo's questions again he found his body being scrapped with dry sponges pulling the flesh off and leaving raw redness behind. However, Tony's will was fading with each new little torture that they inflicted upon his weakened body he was beginning to lose the battle a little more.

Noise came to Tony's sensitive ears, metal against metal the sound of the door to the water room sliding open. Pain settled into his closed eyes as he slowly forced them to open, the light shone into them causing images to flare and blur away. He blinked several times before regaining focus and seeing that before him stood two men. One reached up to undo the handcuffs that fastened him to the ceiling, while the other one stood there with his arms crossed across his gut. Tony's body fell to the ground, his injured shoulder slamming into it first before the rest of it landed. Pain seared through every piece of his flesh, and for a moment he lost all conscious thought to the pain that rose there.

Two strong hands gripped his battered body and drug him along the floor, the smooth coldness of the floor sent chills up his body. Causing further pain in his spine, and then that metal on metal noise echoed once more loudly. His body was picked up off the floor and thrown, air hit his raw skin and he grimaced before landing hard upon the ground. Pain instantly racked his body, making him tighten every muscle he had to curl him into the fetal position. The door closed, that heavy metal on metal noise signifying the end to his suffering for now at least.

"Tony?" Ziva spoke in disbelief as she saw the shallow breathing of her partner, she was amazed to see him alive with the sounds she had heard coming form the room opposite her. She crawled towards him, her eyes taking in everything about his current state. There was burnt flesh on his sides and chest, she sighed gently and stroked his cheek. He shivered and pulled away from her touch. "Shh Tony it's me, it's Ziva."

"No...no more Atalo...I'll tell you everything if you just...please no more..." He thought she was Atalo, with a soft sigh she moved forward again and placed her hand upon his cheek cooing gently.

"Tony, come out of it. It's Ziva, I've been right here waiting for them to bring you back." He shivered again and she tried something new, her hand slapping the back of his head rather roughly. A true Gibbs smack if ever there could be one that he did not do himself, Tony's eyes blinked open slowly before they focused upon her.

"Ziva?" He spoke weakly, his body was screaming at him begging for him to let go and just give up in this world. And then he felt her fingers caress his cheek and he couldn't help but lean into the gentle touch. "Ziva...promise me one thing." He spoke softly, his voice a faint memory of what it had been.

"Anything Tony."

"Don't let me end up like him..." and he pointed one of his fingers at the dead and decaying agent against the back wall. "Don't let me die without anyone to care about it when it happens...I don't want to be another nameless face in death like I was in life."

"DiNozzo, you aren't a nameless face in life. You should never think that, if anything you have more of a name than half the people I've ever chased."

"Thanks Ziva, but you don't understand. My whole life I have been living invisible, I exist and at times when I pop up with a smart remark or my witty banter I can be seen. But for the vast majority of this pathetic excuse for a human being's life, I have been completely invisible to everyone."

Ziva shook her head gently as Tony let his body relax into a dreamless sleep, she leaned forward kissing his forehead gently. "Tony, if your existence is to be pathetic, then what do the rest of us have?"


	8. Dead Ends

**Chapter Eight**

**Dead Ends**

Ziva's fingers smoothed through the damp hair of her partner's scalp, his body was shivering horribly and she couldn't help but cast dark glances of worry upon him. The air about the two was filled with the heat radiation off of his fever ridden body and in a way it terrified her. She could stand losing partners, she could even kill her own family, but losing someone like this in a place like this...she didn't think she could handle altogether too well.

His eyes rolled in their sockets, the memories of electricity coursing through his body causing pain to echo throughout him as he nearly seizured at the thought of such a thing happening again. He could feel the gentle caresses upon his forehead, and envision the middle eastern hand that was administrating them, but he could not respond to her touch. To respond to that gentle caress would be to acknowledge the weakness he felt, and the pain he had caused. Plus that hand was too far away and the pain over rode his body in every sense.

Ziva glanced at the floor, she was worried about his fever. It had to be higher than normal especially with the way he was so unresponsive, inwardly she feared that there would be no way to break this fever whilst they were in the custody of these very shady individuals. But what ate at her worse, was the fact that the two of them were no rendered completely dependent upon Gibbs and McGee to find them before it was too late. And the two of them, were completely out of action the last time her dark eyes had fallen upon their features.

Her eyes closed as the memories returned to her, memories she had pushed away during this ordeal so that she could reassure her partner and secretly herself that the two of them had a chance to be rescued. She knew that was a lie before the thoughts filled her mind, but she couldn't lose hope that quickly, Gibbs had taught her that no matter what to trust in him. So that was what she was doing, she was trusting that the man wouldn't have died without his team being accounted for and trusting that he was healthy enough to aide the people searching for them. It was a great deal of trust yes, but it was what she had to offer her new boss.

She ran her fingers through her hair the frustration evident in the rough creases of her brow, the two of them were becoming dehydrated and Tony especially needed liquids with the fever. Her eyes slid closed as she put the full burden upon her Israeli shoulders, he was the senior agent yes but he needed her now. She gripped the remaining material of her shirt and ripped it off, her bosom contained by a simple sports bra now. She ripped the material in long strips, placed one on his forehead and put the others away.

"Tony...I'm going to make sure you make it out of this." She whispered softly, her lips next to his ear so that she could keep her voice low. Slowly she stood up, her eyes glancing at him before closing again. As a woman and as a trained agent she had several things going for her. One she knew how to run a good strategy, and two she knew how to use her 'assets' to her advantage.

Tony's throat contracted as he tried to respond to the soft voice in his ear, he may not have been able to know what she was doing visually, but his heart told him what she was about to do. He wanted to protest, wanted to stop her but he didn't have the strength and past the horror at what his weakness was making her do there was a tiny pinch of relief. She was going to do everything she could to insure that he would survive this ordeal, and that meant the world to him. Though at the same time he felt that like everything else this was completely his fault and thus the guilt swelled in his heart crushing the little life force he contained millimeter by millimeter.

Ziva's walk was planned, debonair and a mark of feminine flirt laced her form as she moved. One foot fell before the other, her hips rising and falling in a most enticing way, she moved slowly and deliberately to the sliding metal door. Her left hand raised to run along the side of the door before tapping her fingers in a knocking motion. With her lips pursed lightly she waited until the door slid open a crack to lick her lips. The slow movement seductive as she purred gently, those dark eyes locked upon this man before her as she moved closer."You wouldn't happen to have any water on you, would you? I'm...parched." The last word was dragged on, a flirty roll to her words as she leaned against the side of the wall her abdomen glistening with sweat against the tight muscles that rested there. The light hit her copper colored flesh and rolled over it making it stand out even more than normal, the beauty of her body clearly seen as the man handed her his full canteen. She blew him a kiss and shut the metal door before running over to Tony. She hadn't done what she originally thought she would have to do, but she managed it.

Aged and shaking hands guided the smooth black material of a suit jacket over it's owner's back and for a moment the two friends remained silent. Their doubts casting over each other for the briefest of moments before the taller and more intense of the two turned to gaze down. "Ducky, I will get them back."

"I know you will Jethro, but will they come back to me or to you?"

"Duck, I don't have all the answers..."

"Whoa, did Gibbs just say he wasn't god?" Abby smirked, her body leaning into the doorway. She had caught the moment of uncertainty between the two men but at least she had to be optimistic.

"Abs...how did you...?

"...sneak up on Jethro?" Ducky popped off quickly gaining a look of playful curiosity from Abby.

"Wow, add psychic to the growing list of abilities the incredible Super Ducky has." Abby smirked larger, her eyes twinkling with the new found joy she had found in this dark time.

"My dear Abigail, I am no super hero." At that Gibbs turned towards Ducky, the corners of his lips curling almost sinisterly.

"Duck...you are my super hero." Those fierce blue eyes were softened by the look of shock in his friend's eyes at the joke. That is until a rather hard slap to the back of his head caused Gibbs to wheel around with a malicious glare that could raise and then kill the dead in the same instant. His ice blues fell upon Abby's bouncing pigtails and her huge 'Look what I did' smirk. "ABS!"

"Come on now Gibbs, you would have slapped Tony." Abby's smile started to fade at that, until a hand fell on her cheek and lower back pulling her into a loving embrace.

"That I would have Abs, and I promise you I will not rest until Tony and Ziva are back and my team is together again." Gibbs leaned forward and kissed the top of her raven colored hair before releasing her and heading out of the room. "I need to check on McGee, Ducky you and Abby get to work and see if Fornell has found anything out."

Author's Note

I know this is relatively short for my updates, but I have a purpose for ending it here. Since the whole basis of me passing or failing this semester is due in the next week. I will try to make a longer post the next time, but it may take a few weeks due to the constant work on the school stuff. Sorry mates, I'm trying.


	9. Findings

**Chapter Nine**

**Findings**

Ziva's face held a soft smile of affection at the movements of her partner, he was slowly pulling away from his dreams not coming back to her but not that far away either. She had been using the water attained from the guard to try and keep his body cool. Her index finger drug over his dry lips, slowly and deliberately as she moistened them with water. She couldn't help it, she had a nuturing side beneath all those levels of Mossad training. She smiled at the thought of Tony's words at the gentleness she was showing him. Her head turned quickly, the sound of heavy and uneven footsteps coming to her ears. Slowly she'd move herself to stand, her body before Tony's in an defensive way as she awaited the familiar metal on metal noise.

She didn't have to wait long, the dark piercing eyes of Atalo immediately upon the dark fires of Ziva's as he walked into the room. A score of men followed him, too many of them for her to try and do much and keep Tony safe. She decided she would comply with what they wished, for now but there was no promise for the future in her eyes. Atalo's eyes darted to the two men next to him before walking into the room, his fingers gripping something at his waist.

Ziva concentrated her gaze at the movement at Atalo's waist even as the two men he had gazed at grabbed her shoulders and forced her forward. She growled roughly at them, her body too tired to fight back with the force she wanted to but at the same time she was conserving her strength for a time she thought she might need it. She noticed another of the men going around back and grabbing the dead FBI agent, she glared at Atalo. Cruelty meeting her enraged gaze even as she felt the riot stick strike the back of her neck. Her body stumbled forward, her head tossing back with the force of the riot stick before the two men let her hit the ground.

Her palms slammed against the wet concrete and she crouched there upon her knees for some time, her breathing hard as she felt the riot stick once more strike her body. This time it made her full body slam into the ground, she gasped her chin catching the concrete hard as she felt her jaw snap under the pressure. She groaned when the hands wrapped around her shoulders and began to drag her out of the room.

Tony could hear the on goings in the room, and when he heard her pitiful and weakened groan it sparked life into his immobile limbs. He lurched to his side, his body flipping pathetically like a broken rag doll and then he had no strength left to move again. His fingers breezed by the cuff of her pants and he tried to speak but only made a soft gurgling noise. Ziva's eyes glanced back, there was nothing reassuring about that glance as their eyes met for the briefest of moments.

One of the other men grabbed the corpse and slung it over his shoulder before walking out, Tony watched unable to do anything as he was left completely alone. Metal on metal sounded the closing of the door to the room he was in, the light being completely removed. Tony tried to grip at the damp floor remembering a scene similar to this in the serial murder series, Saw. The fear of being alone swelled within him and he shivered as the blood left his features, he was a very passionate man yes but he was also a very fearful man indeed.

Ziva's dark eyes laid sight upon the opened trunk of what looked like a black mercury, that was until she was unceremoniously thrown inside the midnight depths. She landed upon the cushioned dead man from the warehouse, before the lid was slammed closed above her. Growling softly her hands limply moved to the back of her neck, the touch stung and she cursed under her breath. She didn't know where they were taking her, but she knew she would need to be prepared. When the car began to move she placed her ear to the trunk and listened closely to the road noises. If she could get to Abby, perhaps she could help them find Tony.

Gibbs' hand rested on the slender shoulders of Abby as she typed away at her computer, he found himself hiding out down here from the emptiness in the bullpen. Those fierce blue eyes masking the emotion that rested within his soul. He watched as Abby brought up pictures of Atalo's known accomplices and hits, image after image running along the screen before him. Some of the most grisly scenes he could imagine flopped before him one after another, a man that had been electrocuted to death after having his skin rubbed raw. Another one was a man that had been beaten beyond all recognition by riot sticks, and the last was an Italian man that was very similar to Tony in features and build. Gibbs' fingers squeezed a bit harder upon Abby's shoulder as his eyes scanned the scene. The man had been chained to a wall for days, beaten with riot sticks until his broken bones protruded from his body, he had been dehydrated for so long that what was probably an athletically driven man had been reduced to mere bones.

Gibbs feared for his agent at that sight, he didn't know if Tony could sustain that kind of torture, but he did know that he would do everything he could to ensure the safety of Ziva. A soft voice echoed from behind him and Gibbs turned to see Ducky with a most solemn face.

"What is it Duck?"

"Jethro, our young Anthony is in grave danger."

"Why?" Gibbs asked releasing Abby's shoulder and folding his arms, a moment of worry registered in his eyes before fading away.

"Atalo, is after him alone. His father became a banker again, and started to embezzle money from the Baldasarre millions. Atalo found out about it but can't locate a one, Cirocco DiNozzi. My source at NSA told me that the last known address for Cirocco was located just outside of the U.S. and in international waters. She also said that if Cirocco was involved he had a fall guy, and that would more than likely be our young Anthony."

"Survival rate for nonessential captives Abs." Gibbs bellowed turning around and moving forward back to the terminal.

"100 percent Gibbs, they usually release nonessential captives, most of the time they are critically injured but of the five that he has released none have died. That's good right?"

"For Ziva, Abigail." Ducky spoke softly before looking back at Gibbs. "Jethro, the odds are against Anthony. We have to find him before Atalo leaves the country."

"I know Ducky, but what in the hell do I have to go on!" Gibbs growled out, his fingernails digging into his palms causing blood to trickle from them.

"Gibbs...calm down...we'll find Tony." Abby spoke softly placing her hands on his shoulders. He winced them off and then moved forward, his strides intent and angered.

After exiting the lab he hopped in the elevator, his fingers pressing the button for the bullpen. After it had moved for a bit he pressed the stop button. As soon as the elevator came to a stop he collapsed upon his knees, his fingers gripping the carpet as he struggled to control the scream that wished to erupt forth. He was throwing a fit yes, but it was a fit of frustration at not knowing anything. He felt so useless to help his people, and even Tobias had given him little hope. Now Ducky? It had struck a few heartstrings, and has he pushed himself once more composed and cold he couldn't help but wipe away a strained tear of fear before pressing the start button once more.

Gibbs came out of the elevator and into the bustling bullpen, his body moving to its roost before he'd gaze at the three empty desks. McGee was doing better, he had come out of shock and was responding normally once more. Gibbs made a mental note to be easier on him when he was released, the kid had gone through a lot and Gibbs had the feeling that if he had been the probie and McGee the senior agent he would have shut down as well with that sight. He'd work with Tim when he was released, that he promised the young man.

His eyes continued to sweep until the fell upon the other two desks, the one that Agent Caitlyn Todd had once occupied stood empty again awaiting the return of the new agent that had laid claim to it, Agent Ziva David. The other one though...had always been occupied by the smiling face of Agent Anthony DiNozzo. And for once in Tony's career other than the incident where he had been kidnaped before and when he had Y-Pestis it had never sat empty. Now though, the fear that it would forever sit empty sent a mild shiver down the spine of Gibbs. He lowered himself into his seat before closing his eyes, his fingers running through his hair in frustration before he heard the elevator doors open. There were three people, well four actually, but one was being helped in.

Gibbs' eyes narrowed, examining them with intent they weren't the normal walkers in the bullpen they were different. The two were very large men, what appeared to be muscle while the one that was being aided was a bit too stiff for Gibbs' liking. The other one, was being led, not leading which seemed out of place for the gait they contained. All appeared male though, and all were headed towards him. He stood slowly, his fingers wrapping around the grip of his gun as he waited for them.

The one that was being led was flung forward, their body sliding across the carpeted floor to land before Gibbs. The hat and the jacket that had covered this unnamed form moved away, and for the first time Gibbs' rested his eyes on Ziva. He looked down at her, her dark eyes were weak and pained as she tried to crawl away from the two men and the one that was being carried.

In an instant Gibbs raised his gun from it's holster and narrowed it down upon the two. "Drop him." Gibbs commanded, his body moving to step over Ziva carefully. The elevator dinged and out from it walked Tobias, his eyes narrowing on Gibbs and the men. He too pulled his gun coming up behind them.

"I suggest you listen to Jethro there, if you want to keep all your body parts."

"We delivery boys." The one spoke up in broken English dropping the body to the floor with a dull thud. Tobias moved forward, his fingers moving back the hat before he leapt back in disgust.

"Where is Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo?" Tobias spoke, pressing the barrel of his gun to the neck of the nearest man. His voice would be near the ear of this man, his breath caressing it in malcontent as he controlled the urge to shoot him dead.

"It's not Tony?"

"No...it's my man Jethro. They must have discovered him..." Tobias spoke just above a whisper as he stood there, gun against the man's neck. He was waiting for an answer, his finger pulled back the hammer of the gun and he growled. "Tell me now!"

"Gibbs...they are just drivers." Ziva spoke up, her voice as weak as her eyes as she moved to grab the corner of a desk to pull herself up.

"Stay down Ziva, you aren't strong enough..."

"Jethro with all due respect, let the woman talk." Tobias received a glare from Gibbs but he complied with the thought as he glanced at Ziva.

"Gibbs...Atalo is gone. He left before these two grabbed me and the dead guy. They left Tony behind, when I saw him last he was still alive. But he's not in good condition, they tortured him Gibbs...worse than I would torture anyone." Ziva's gaze met Gibbs' eyes and she looked down. "I can find him though, I listened to the road noises and I think I know where he is but I need Abby's help."

"Tobias can you handle them?"

"Of course, go on Jethro."

TBC


	10. Impressions

**Chapter Ten**

**Impressions**

Gibbs had a hand around Ziva's shoulders, he was taking most of her weight now as they rested in the elevator waiting for it to open on Abby's floor. "Ziva...what condition was he in the last you saw him?"

"Gibbs, if he were any other man he would have died days ago. The last time I saw him, he was trying to save my life by using the last of his strength to try and grab me. He is a fighter, yes?" She spoke weakly, her head leaning into his neck. She was so tired, so very, very tired and she just needed to close her eyes and...no she had to stay awake had to stay alive for Tony. He needed her, and she was going to save him if it was all she could do.

The door dinged open and Gibbs helped her into the lab, Abby turned quickly at the grunting coming from the two and her eyes boggled wildly at Ziva. "Gibbs! She needs to see Ducky not me!" Abby piped up moving over to grab her other arm to support her weight.

"Abby...I need your help." Ziva spoke just above a whisper, her head had slowly started to teeter forward towards her chest when the doors opened. Now she was fighting to keep it up and to keep her dark eyes open.

"Help? Gibbs?" She shot a glance at him as they lowered her on one of the evidence tables and leaned her against the wall.

"Ziva was conscious in the car from wherever they were holding them to here, she listened to road noises and we both thought you could help."

"Of course!" She ran over to her computer and popped up the screen for mapping. "First noise?"

"Gravel...about 2 km of gravel. Abby, we were in an abandoned warehouse. Drove for around half an hour, though some of that was in a circle so I'd say about twenty five real minutes."

"Alright...based on that and on the speeds for an average driver since I doubt we were speeding we are looking at a 20 mile radius. There are fifteen abandoned warehouses along the wharf, and at least twenty in various other locations. Any other noises?"

"Bridge...long one and sounded like a dingy."

"So definitely on the wharf, I bet that is the old L&N bridge so that narrows it down to seven possible locations. Anymore?"

"The warehouse...it sounded like roaring at certain hours..."

"A train?" Gibbs spoke as he placed a hand on Ziva's abdomen only to gain a grimace in return as she slid forward against it.

"Sounds like it to me," Abby spoke as she typed up a few more keys. "Alright, that narrows it down to three locations. One is an old cannery has a few submerged rooms and is set for demolition in a few weeks. Another one is what used to be a linen storage facility, has one large room and two smaller work rooms. The last one has been shut down for nearly seven years now, even squatters won't go near it. It was once suspected of being a drug raising facility, no information on any rooms."

"Jethro, Tobias is fusing...Ziva?" Ducky turned the corner and gawked at the injured agent. "Jethro! You should have brought her to me immediately! She is in no condition to be here..."

"Not now Ducky, Abs take care of her Tobias and I are going to check out these locations. Tell the director about them and to meet us quickly, have an ambulance on standby for us." And Gibbs was gone in a flash.

Author's Note

Sorry for the short post, I'm currently writing the next chapter but needed to take a bit of a break from this one with school. This was done a few days ago, but my after school activities kept me from uploading it. If all goes well there should be another chapter up in two days.


	11. Crossroads

**Chapter Eleven**

**Crossroads**

His fingers gripped the steering wheel with all the force of a man gone insane, those fierce blue eyes honed in on the road before him as he struggled with himself to make it to his agent on time. In the back of his mind he feared the worse, that DiNozzo was dead and all he would find was a cold lump of flesh where a man used to be. He growled at his own thoughts and his knuckles whitened at the newly applied pressure to the leather wheel, one sharp turn after the next and he finally found himself standing before the bay door of the abandoned warehouse that no one wished to touch.

His leathery hands gripped the gun with immeasurable force as he slowly lifted the bay door, sliding in just as quietly as before. Those fierce eyes flicked over the surroundings, his head canting from side to side at even the mention of noise. He could hear the ambulance in the distance and sighed just slightly out of relief, his fingers pushed against a door and a small yet lively room met his gaze. Instantly his gun lowered, the sight before him almost as incredulous as his imagination had wandered.

A thin membrane of water soaked into the concrete of this room, long chains draping from the ceiling and walls. Chains meant to secure people as they were slowly mutilated, there was a small pound of flesh in one of the corners. The wall stained red, two round eyes laying upon the wet concrete staring blankly at their own reflection. They were dark eyes...they were like his eyes... Gibbs' mind wandered once more and he shook the thoughts away, he couldn't think that way Tony was alive and he knew it.

His eyes closed as the small generator and two metal rods came into his line of vision, he also saw the blood soaked metal sponge that scent a shiver up his spine. The FBI agent had lost his eyes, he remembered that but electrocuted and skinned, definitely not. That left only one man...Tony.

Panic set into Gibbs' eyes for only a moment before he wheeled around and the door behind him came into sight. Ziva said the water room was directly across the hall from the room they had been in, and he could smell the death upon the door. Rust covered the sliding, blood colored rust at that an omen that Gibbs could not ignore as he slid the metal doors against each other sparks emitting from them before he entered the dark place.

Slowly his eyes adjusted to the blank void that this room presented itself as, he cast his eyes downward as he moved further in. The mass of a body before him turning his beating heart into a solid rock, he crouched next to the form. A bone protruding from it's...his shoulder, blood dried about the body that was curled into a ball facing the door. Pale pain lines had long since relaxed on the blank face of Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo. He felt the vomit run along his throat, and slowly lax back down into his stomach as he fanned his fingers over the young man's face.

Gibbs lowered his eyes, his gaze falling on the dried pool of blood surrounding his agent, it wasn't quite big enough for the young man to have died of blood loss. But the pure trauma that he had endured could have been enough to kill him. There was just too many unknown for Gibbs, and so he backed away, his body moving slowly as he head towards the metal doors. His slow backing became a full run as soon as his shoes touched the concrete that laid in the light. The need to vomit overriding his sense of duty as he raced out of the building only to drop to his knees beside the door.

The heaving racked his body, doubling over from the pain of the release. Blood edged the corners of his mouth and his body shook violently as he tried to regain his composure. The ambulance had pulled up, two men going inside with their gear and a gurney, but that didn't register in his mind at all. The only thing he could see was that blank face, that dead face. The face of the young man that had admired him, yet the face of the man that he had failed by not protecting him.

Vomit racked his body once more, this time throwing him forward until he was laying upon his side. His aged fingers gripped at his abdomen, two hands falling on his shoulder and slowly pulling him up to lean against them. It was Tobias, that much he knew, but the words that flowed from Tobias' mouth made no sense. They were foggy and sounded more like a broken speaker than anything, and then his eyes laid sight upon the paramedics.

They were working, their legs moving quicker than his own had when he ran from the building. They were shouting to each other, one pumping the ambu bag like mad as they lifted the gurney into the back of the ambulance. They had found one alive...alive? And then it all hit him, his pale face, that blank look, he wasn't dead he was unconscious.

"I...Idiot..." He murmured into Tobias' coat as he tried to pull himself up, Tobias' hands aiding him. "Car...now."

"Easy Jethro, take it easy." Fornell helped him up, and to the car, vomit still clinging to the form of Gibbs. He was weak, he felt it in his entire body, weak enough to not be able to see the life in DiNozzo even when it was staring him in the face.

The car ride was silent, Gibbs brooding over his own thoughts as Tobias fought to keep the thought of calling his own agent's family. Both were so far from the car that they doubted each other really existed in the present state, even though they could physically feel one another. The trip was a blur to Gibbs, street light after street light burning into his soul and piercing that dark void of emotion he kept pent up. He couldn't bare the thought of losing an agent, especially one that he had failed to protect on any level.

The doors to the hospital Emergency Room slid open, the whoosh of air echoing gently as he entered. "Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo, just brought in."

The nurse glared at the impatient gaze of the one with blue eyes, her voice squeaking a bit as she responded. "Operating at the moment sir..." She trailed off grabbing a few folders and disappearing behind the corner of the station there.

"Tobias, get Ducky here. I'll need him."

"That is nice to know Jethro, but I came here with Miss David. She is in operating as well, seems she has some internal damage she neglected mentioning." His face turned grave however as he saw the vomit clinging to Gibbs. "Jethro...how bad was Anthony when you saw him?"

"Bad enough for me to think he was dead Duck."

"I figured as much...oh dear Jethro I am worried about our young Anthony. He did not look well at all when they brought him in."

"Duck, find out about him and Ziva. I need to know..."

"I understand Jethro...let me scrub up. Tobias keep him company, and don't walk holes in the floor of the waiting room alright? Abigail is in there now, she needs company herself."


	12. The Awakening

**Chapter Twelve**

**The Awakening**

Tony suddenly became very aware of his surroundings, his heart began to race when he felt a thin line of pain cut across his chest. The line was precise and landed in the perfect places, to Tony it seemed almost surgical but he knew Atalo was good and so as he forced himself to wake from his current semiconscious state he began to fight at his attackers. His hands forming fists as he flung them at the person who was cutting him, he made contact but groaned as the blade that was being used pressed deeper into his flesh. The pain sent his body into overdrive and he leapt from the table he had been laying on with a new sense of adrenalin.

His eyes blinked away the bright light of the operating room, a man dressed in light blue tried to grab him but Tony flung another fist his way. There was a crack as the fist made contact with the man's jaw which sent the man into the wall opposite him. The crack was neither the wall nor the jaw, it was in fact Tony's hand as his wrist shattered. He let out a strangled cry at the sudden and unfamiliar pain before his instincts told him to tear out of there. His good arm flung before him sending the doors flinging out into the hall and slamming against their respective hinges. He couldn't stop running now, his whole body hurt but he had to get to Gibbs. He had to get out of this hell hole and he had to survive, he just had to. There before him was the sliding door of the warehouse, all he had to do was reach it and he'd be free.

A clean and quick pain shot into his neck as a needle made contact with his flesh, there was an injection but that didn't stop Tony. He twirled, his fist hitting the nurse in the chest and sending her to the ground with a strangled cry of her own. He turned back, his body moving to the doors he knew led to freedom. But his body began to feel like lead, every muscle made him work a bit harder to move them. He pushed on his hand hitting the door as he fell to the ground with a rough slap of flesh on linoleum.

The doors edged open slowly as Tony hit the ground, his eyes falling on the people before him with pain and panic. Gibbs fierce eyes met his and in an instant Gibbs found his way to Tony's side. His hand rested on Tony's exposed shoulder as the man ebbed into unconsciousness once more. Gibbs glared down the hallway at the destruction that Tony had caused in his escape attempt. Nurses from all over the OR came running to get the man off the floor and onto a Gurney.

Once Tony was back into the operating room Gibbs turned to the three people that were standing by now. The Director's eyes were still boggled, Ducky was trying desperately to comfort young Abby, and then there was Gibbs. He moved in behind Abby and took her into his arms, tossing his head to Ducky to tell him to go with Tony. They didn't need him pulling another stunt like that in his condition. Gibbs fingers ran through the hair of Abby, her tears falling upon his lapel as he leaned down to gently kiss her forehead. "Shh, Abby. He'll be alright, he was just scared."

"I know Gibbs...that's why it hurts so bad. What did that madman do to our Tony to make him like that? And will he be our Tony when he wakes up, or the creation of that beast?"

"I don't know Abs, but either way the man in that room is our Tony. Regardless of what has happened to him, he will always be our Tony." He pressed his lips to her hair gently as she dug her head into his shoulder. It had shaken them all to see him in such a state of fear, even the Director looked shell shocked as she lowered herself into her seat once more. He'd never say a word, but Gibbs could see the quaking of her legs. Gibbs' mind was still in a state of panic he hated not being in control but he also hated not having enough information. Today was going to be a long ride, that much he knew as he held on to Abby for all she was worth.

**Later**

It had been fourteen hours since Tony flung his way out of the operating room and still no word on what was going on inside that room, that is until the doors swung open to reveal a rather pale faced Dr. Donald Mallard. "Jethro, we need to talk." He spoke softly, his aged voice holding a new shake to it as he directed Gibbs to the vending area.

Gibbs' hand slid over Abby's shoulder as he followed Ducky, his way of reassuring her. Once he got into the area his eyes settled upon Ducky, "How bad Duck, and don't give me the candy coated version."

Ducky took an inhale of breath, his fingers running through his hair after he had removed the cap he had been wearing. The breath he had taken had been weary and ragged and as he leaned against the wall his eyes showed more than most would think. "He is in recovery, but Jethro the things that man did to him..."

"What are his chances? And you know what I mean."

"He isn't out of the woods, by any means Jethro the injuries he sustained in the initial attack weren't that serious. But, as we both know Atalo is a brutal man. The things he did to young Anthony are things that I never thought any man could survive."

"Get on with it Duck."

"He has a shattered wrist, but the intern from the operating room has informed me that happened in his escape. His shoulder is dislocated, he has several stab wounds and a bullet wound that was widened greatly. He has some first and second degree burns from where it appears he was electrocuted, as well as some internal damage that had to be fixed. He suffered a mild concussion in what appears to be a fall. There is an extreme chance of infection due to the fact that he has had the first layer of his epidermis very cruelly scrubbed off. He also suffers from a severe case of dehydration and has a fever that is just below brain damage temperatures. As of right now, he'll be lucky to survive the hour much less the night."

"Can I see him Duck?"

"No Jethro, even I can't see him with my medical license. He is undergoing skin treatments on the hour to try and keep infection down and is being kept in a clean environment. But recovery is marginal at best, he may never completely recover from all his injuries especially in the mental sense. Which is another aspect, they are keeping him sedated for now, heavily sedated for as you saw earlier a minimal sedation is no good at all."

"Ducky, stay with him. Stay here, if Abs wants to stay that's fine. But I'm going to find that bastard if it's the last thing I do. Call me with word, and it better be good." And he was gone, his hand gripping his coat as he walked past the worried faces of the Director and Abby. The doors let out a loud whooshing sound as he exited, and then the silhouette of Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs could be seen as the doors whooshed closed once more. Closing the door on their thoughts about where he was heading, and opening the door on what was about to come.

Author's Note

Sorry about the delay all, it has been hectic trying to juggle life and leisure. But I'm making it wind down for now. I've been reading your stories, and your reviews in my absence. And once more thank you for all of your good words. Your stories are wonderful, and I hope to read more soon. Thanks again all for sticking it out with me, this story is as exhausting to write as it can be to read at times. Simply because the entire time your heart is racing.


	13. Getting Away With Murder

**Author's Note:**: As some of you might have noticed I've been inactive...for well quite a while. At the beginning of summer I was in a rather nasty car wreck that had me hospitalized for a bit. I'm home now, but as for being able to type it's still out of the question. This draft was oraly given to someone who was kind enough to type it up for me. It's the end of this story yes, and for all my other stories that are not completed I am honestly working on it. The doctor's say I should be able to do normal things soon enough. I do apologize for all of this, it was not my plan to leave my reader's hanging in such a state. I hope this gives you all an ending that is worthy of this piece. I went for something atypical of myself, perhaps I achieved it? Critique is always welcome, and so are comments. I love you all, and I can't help but apologize again.

_**Chapter Thirteen**_

_**Getting Away With Murder**_

"People say that there is nothing to live for except the routine struggle of everday life. My struggles come to an end here, in the mere agony of selflessness. We served like robots, machines built and trained to perfection so that we might aide the unfortunate. But at the end of life when we are broken and punished it is the torture of the goodness we have done that eternally seals our fates.

My fate was sealed the moment I left that hospital, bound by the love I held to enact revenge upon those that hurt my team. When I left that night, moving into the thundering ache in my heart was the thirst for blood. The lust to kill him. Did I plan the actions I would take to kill him? Not plan percey, but I knew. I knew before I hit that side walk how I was going to kill that bastard.

Do I apologize? No, unless you need me to apologize to my team for failing. In that case I do apologize to the men and woman who served under me, I apologize to their families for not being strong enough to protect their children. I apologize to the futures they could have held in the palm of their hands, and the families they could have had. I apologize to those that didn't get a chance to serve under me for thinking they were strong enough to handle it. And above all I apologize for those that I let succeed beneath me and move on to jobs that were more dangerous than the one I gave them.

What did I do when I left the hospital? I went home. I went home and got my bag, packed some clothes in it and then drove. I drove to the airport, and boarded a plane to Venice that very night. I arrived a few days later, taking my time getting there the entire journey so I could be sure of his whereabouts. Once it was confirmed that he was in his Venice home I plotted, I planned

Everything after that was premeditated. After the moment I found out he was in the country I began to survey the area of his home. Watched the boating routes and found out the perfect time to sneak in was when the bread barge went through. That was the time I aimed for, early enough in the morning not to be empty and late enough not to be too suspicious. I started working that route a few weeks before I made to move in. Getting to know the locals and letting them know as much about me as possible. Planting the seeds that I could never be the killer of the brave Baldasarre son.

A month after I started working I noticed that every morning when the bread barge went through Atalo was in his bedroom window doing something that appeared to call for looking in a mirror. That's where the plan came from. I'd brought with me my sniper rifle from back in the day, and had snuck it onto the boat at some time or another. Made sure to hide it in a loose board on the inside wall of the cabin where the bread was kept. There was a porthole that had a clean shot right into that window.

It was a sniper's dream, and I took advantage of it. Using the bread as a silencing device I made sure I had two good clean shots. One visually perceived to lodge in his throat, and the other I believe found a nice hole between his ears. Both would be fatal shots of course. As was my intention." The silver haired man took a breath and released the tension the handcuffs were causing to start up into his shoulders and down along his back. He shifted in the seat, his jumpsuit making a soft swishing noise as he got more comfortable.

An interrogation room was never comfortable, it was hot and the table before you was always colder than room temperature. The cuffs ate into your flesh as the man questioning you ate into your soul. Except, in this instance Gibbs was telling him what Gibbs wished to tell him. He didn't tell him why he was gone for three months after the initial act of revenge, and he didn't disclose how much more he had thought about this act of revenge then he had already related.

"You did plan his death then, you admit it?"

"Of course I admit it, need me to remake that statement Agent Monroe?" The young agent turned his gaze to the mirror behind him before looking back upon his former hero.

"No, that's not necessary. I have something to show you however before you are taken away, something you might have been interested in before your little confession." His finger pressed against the light switch, turning off the lights to the interrogation room and revealing the room on the opposite side of the two way mirror. Inside a single form loomed, his body moving from the shadows with the sinister twist of them across his features.

The man was Italian in heritage, his hair cut short and those eyes sharp and fixed on his prey. The man was well built, muscular, and formidable in his own right. As the realization of what Gibbs' saw sunk in the older man lurched forward in the chair. His handcuffed limbs making rattling noises before the dull 'fwump' of a silenced bullet rang out in the interrogation room. A second later there was a loud thumping noise as a lifeless body slammed against the earth. Blood leaking from the dead man's chest. And so ended the life of Leroy Jethro Gibbs in the pain of realization that he had failed all he had known and all he had cared about.

The soft beep and whiz of machines played across the background of an isolated hospital room, there was a silent sort of rock music audible only because the listener's mp3 player was turned up full blast. It was almost peaceful, except for the lurching of the respirator as it pumped air into the lungs of the comatose man. Keeping him stabalized was enough to make the youngish lab technician happy. She'd lost so much in the past year, and now the only thing she truly had left was her visits to her best friend's room.

Anthony DiNozzo had been in a coma since he was taken out of recovery, he was fine physically but something wasn't allowing him to return to them quite yet. She ran her fingers across his forehead and let out a soft breath. "Come on Tony, at least wink at me today. I'm wearing your favorite corset!" She mused softly and closed her eyes, her head moving to lay against his chest with a gentleness that only the two of them shared. She felt something beside her, and before she had the chance to look there was the feel of someone stroking her back. She lurched forward and then turned making to punch the assaliant and only then did she realize the hand belonged to the flailing friend in the bed as he tried to bring himself out of whatever fog had taken him.

Officer David had been reassigned back home, her whereabouts widely unknown to the entire agency world. But one thing for sure was known, the day that former Agent Gibbs was gunned down there was a bomb planted upon a plane carrying the suspected killer and traitor. Nothing could be pinpointed but all thoughts leaned upon the shoulders of Officer David who shortly after disappeared off the face of the earth.


End file.
